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. 2021 Jan 18;76(2):e38-e44.
doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa120.

Age Differences in Risk and Resilience Factors in COVID-19-Related Stress

Ann Pearman  1 , MacKenzie L Hughes  1 , Emily L Smith  2 , Shevaun D Neupert  2
Affiliations

Age Differences in Risk and Resilience Factors in COVID-19-Related Stress

Ann Pearman et al. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. .

Abstract

Objectives: Older adults are at higher risk for death and infirmity from COVID-19 than younger and middle-aged adults. The current study examines COVID-19-specific anxiety and proactive coping as potential risk and resilience factors that may be differentially important for younger and older adults in understanding stress experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Five hundred and fifteen adults aged 20-79 years in the United States reported on their anxiety about developing COVID-19, proactive coping, and stress related to COVID-19 in an online survey.

Results: Although there were no age differences in stress levels, anxiety about developing COVID-19 was associated with more COVID-19 stress for older adults relative to younger adults, but proactive coping was associated with less COVID-19 stress for older adults relative to younger adults.

Discussion: Our results suggest that anxiety might function as a risk factor, whereas proactive coping may function as a resilience factor for older adults' COVID-19 stress. We encourage future context-dependent investigations into mental health among older adults during this pandemic and beyond.

Keywords: Age differences; Anxiety; Coping; Pandemic.

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